The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) Bertoni), which has been given the variety denomination of ‘AKH L1’.
The new stevia plant cultivar is a selection resulting from a controlled breeding program of stevia plants at Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay in 2006 through the controlled pollination of seed parent ‘EIRETE’ (unpatented) and pollen parent ‘AKH/EM1’ (unpatented). The new cultivar was selected as a single plant within a population of plants resulting from this controlled pollination of stevia plants in 2006 at an experimental station at Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay. Selection criteria was a combination of Rebaudioside A content equal to more than 50% of total steviol glycols, high yield of leaves per hectare, and resistance to leaf spot diseases. 91.5% of the Total Glycoside Steviols are present in the leaves of the claimed variety, with the remaining 8.5% of the Total Glycoside Steviols present in the stems and branches of the claimed variety. The selection was subsequently evaluated for a number of years at the Experimental Station at Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cutting propagation since 2007 at Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay in field nurseries has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.
The new variety can be compared to the seed parent ‘Eirete’. In Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay the plant height of ‘AKH L1’ is classified as ‘medium size’ (51-70 cm) whereas the plant height of ‘Eirete’ is classified as ‘high size’ (80 cm). The harvest cycle of ‘AKH L1’ is ‘late’ whereas the harvest cycle of ‘Eirete’ is ‘medium’. In Guayaibi, San Pedro, Paraguay the leaf color of ‘AKH L1’ is ‘light green or yellow green’ whereas the leaf color of ‘Eirete’ is ‘dark green’. The percentage of Rebaudioside A of total Glycoside Steviol of ‘AKH L1’ is 89% whereas the percentage of Rebaudioside A of total Glycoside Steviol of ‘Eriete’ is 52%. Table 1 provides further comparisons of the distinguishing characteristics for the claimed variety and both the seed and pollen parents.